Watchdog investigates Capita over civil service pension delays

The National Audit Office is investigating Capita's administration of the civil service pension scheme, which has caused widespread delays and backlogs since the company took over the contract last December. Thousands of civil servants are waiting for payments and retirement quotes. The NAO said Capita has "struggled to administer the scheme effectively" since assuming the £239 million, seven-year contract from MyCSP. The review will examine Capita's performance over the past ten months and how the Cabinet Office oversaw the transition, which involved a backlog of 86,000 cases and 15,000 unread emails. Unions have called for Capita to lose the contract, though analysts note the practical difficulties of bringing it back in-house. Capita said fixing the issues is its top priority, while the Civil Service Pensioners' Alliance welcomed the review, citing uncertainty for households relying on pension income.